Beach Vacations
Sand and surf never go out of style, but certain beach vacations are better suited to specific occasions, times of year and personalities. Our Beach Vacations Web Guide offers insight into many versions of paradise, including the best beach trips to remote islands and adventure beaches, as well as beach suggestions for different budgets. Look for links to tools for planning the perfect beach vacation, booking flights and hotels, and advice for managing pre-trip necessities, such as passports and vaccines.
Expand All Guide SectionsBeach Travel Basics
There are roughly 220,000 miles of coastline in the world; deciding what chunk of it will make the best vacation is no easy task. Get to know the various beach travel options available around the world by perusing the sites below. Feature articles and photos covering well-traversed and off-the-path destinations offer an excellent starting point for your beach travel plans.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Online newspaper travel sections, such as The New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle are great sources of information on specific travel topics, including beaches. You’ll find a combination of practical information and personal experience, as well as lots of photos.
- Keep an open mind. There are beaches worthy of consideration outside of the classic destinations like Hawaii, Florida, and the Caribbean, for example. If you do a bit of online digging, you’ll discover unique, scenic beaches all around the world.
- Look for sites that aren’t trying to sell you something. Often, searches for “beach travel” turn up tourism agencies or hotel and resort Web sites. If you really want the scoop on what to expect from a beach destination, look for feature articles and other more personal sources like travelogues and blogs.
Dulcinea's Picks
The New York Times
devotes an entire portion of its “Travel” section to beaches. Browse the selection of articles, including features on regions such as the Caribbean, and on specific countries such as Panama’s San Blas Islands. Part of what sets the Times’s Travel section above the rest, aside from fantastic first-person accounts, are multimedia components full of stunning photo slideshows and the occasional video clip.
The Guardian
“Travel” section has a surprisingly diverse and intriguing list of feature articles on beach travel (for instance, Albania), despite an overall focus on destinations within the United Kingdom. Browse the list of countries in the left-hand sidebar, or scroll through the selection of features, several of which delve into specific topics such as winter beach spots recommended by tourism experts.
Travel Channel
runs down a lengthy list of the “Best Beaches by Region,” including Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and Mexico, South America, and regions of the United States. Click on each name for an overview of what to expect, plus a few practical specifics regarding transportation, lodging, and where to eat. Also consult a similarly designed section on the “Best Beaches by Season.”
Beach Vacations
Whether you want to laze in the sand with an icy drink, scale craggy peaks with ocean views, or get close to wildlife or ancient ruins, there are online resources to help. Use this section to find information on specific types of beach travel.
Dulcinea's Insight
- If you have a particular interest in mind, such as “beaches with horseback riding” or “beaches for singles,” try searching in an online forum. Often, travelers post their questions and get responses from others who have valuable experience. For example, take a look at this Lonely Planet Bluelist thread that reveals secluded beaches in Greece.
- Many Web searches for specific types of beach travel produce “best of” or “top 10” results. These can be helpful for pointing out destinations but are often short on practical details. To fill in the blanks, use our picks in the “Beach Travel Basics” section and the transportation and accommodation sections below.
Dulcinea's Picks
For secluded beaches …
ISLANDS
magazine revealed its choices for “The 30 Best Undiscovered Beaches,” based on visual appeal, “swimability,” and “low awareness index.” The list is straightforward, without photos, and organized by region. Find hidden gems in hot spots like the Caribbean and Hawaii. One particularly intriguing pick is “Secret Beach” in Palawan, Philippines, but you’ll have to snorkel through a crack in a limestone barrier to reach it.
For budget beach travel …
Travel + Leisure
is known for its coverage of the world’s most luxurious destinations, but it takes a different approach with this article on “25 (Affordable) Beach Resorts.” Each property is under $250 per night in the high season, and can be found everywhere from the Caribbean to Africa. Also find Travel + Leisure recommended lodges and daily activities.
Concierge.com
has meticulously scoured out 13 wallet-friendly beaches that have a “hippie hangout” vibe without the “yuppie yuck.” Get the scoop on hotels in each destination, and insight into where to look for flights. The content here is fun to read, with great descriptive blurbs that achieve a true sense of place.
For U.S. beaches …
Dr. Beach
is an expert on American beaches, and his yearly list of best beaches has been featured on the Today show and in The New York Times. In addition to rating beaches, he studies beach erosion and the impact of storms on beaches around the world. Don’t miss his “Beach Prescriptions,” which are beach recommendations for different U.S. regions.
For romantic beaches …
ForbesTraveler.com
lets readers in on the most “Romantic Lagoon Resorts” around the globe. Despite remote locations, these resorts have an air of luxury. Read an overview of the properties (think thatched huts on crystalline water), and view the irresistible photo slideshow that links to each resort’s Web site.
Coastal Living
runs down the “Top 10 Romantic Retreats.” Discover exotic locales like Hawaii’s Big Island and Princess Royal Island in British Columbia, plus under-the-radar sandy havens like Cumberland Island, Georgia (location of JFK Jr.’s wedding) and Whidbey Island, Washington.
For islands …
Travel + Leisure
lists the “Top 10 Islands Overall” as part of its 2007 “World’s Best Awards.” Each entry includes a combination of practical information (tourism providers and advice for how to get there) and accounts of what to expect. Among the more notable is the Galapagos Islands feature article, which details the author’s experience on a Lindblad Expedition, a tour company partnered with National Geographic.
Coastal Living
features an article on “Island Hikes.” Discover which island trek off of San Francisco Bay offers stunning views of five bridges, and find out where to see the relic of a shipwreck on an island on Lake Michigan.
For adventurous beach travel …
iExplore
is an adventure travel site with easy-to-use search tools to help you find adventurous beach tours, destination guides, traveler reviews, and photos of locations around the world. Beach locales are covered, but you’ll have to have an idea of where you’d like to go; there is no “beach” category. For example, click Australia/South Pacific on the map to link to the Cook Islands.
GORP
, a Web site geared toward outdoor enthusiasts, has an article called “Great American Beach Adventure” that takes readers from the Pacific Northwest, to the coast of Texas, to the Atlantic coast, and to the waters of Michigan. Look for opportunities to bike, kayak, surf, and hike, along with links to national parks and additional resources on the GORP site.
For family beaches …
ShermansTravel
has been finding and reviewing travel deals and publishing travel editorial on the Web for nearly six years. Read their article on the 10 best family-friendly beaches in the United States for highlights of the scenery and events for children, such as a yearly sandcastle contest at Oregon’s Cannon Beach. You’ll also find links to tourism Web sites for each destination.
Travel Channel
lists the “Best Beaches for Families” in both the United States and around the world. Take a look at exotic locales like St. Tropez, France, and familiar favorites like Cancun, Mexico. Each choice is thoroughly described with detailed insider tips and practical essentials.
Sandkidz
highlights 10 of the best New England beaches for families. The site also contains suggestions for kid-friendly beach games and crafts, as well as information about birds and shells that you might spot along the shore.
For beaches near ruins …
The New York Times
“Travel” section featured “Backcountry Belize,” an article about off-the-path Mayan ruins, caves, beach towns, and rain forests. Read this account of a family trip and learn how parents and kids can enjoy the Belize experience together and separately. Don’t miss the photo slideshow to see Belize’s divide between lush landscapes and prevalent “shanties and shacks.”
The Los Angeles Times
“Travel” section ventures beyond the typical tourist destination with a trek to Bacalar, Mexico, four hours from flashy Cancun and just 30 minutes from the Belize border. Visit this corner of the Yucatan Peninsula to find Mayan ruins at a resort that was eco-friendly before it became trendy, and Bacalar Lagoon, full of water lilies, old Spanish cannons, and Pirate’s Mouth, a waterway once used by pirates.
Beach Travel Safety and Requirements
Before you hit the beach, take care of a few pesky but essential stipulations. This section includes sites to help you stay safe and healthy, renew or apply for required documents, and research the best time to pack your bags and go.
Dulcinea's Insight
- A rip is a strong current heading away from shore. Rips appear darker in color, an indication of deeper water, and have a rippled look even when surrounding waters are calm. Most beach rescues occur as a result of swimmers becoming caught in rips, according to the organization Surf Life Saving Australia. Learn how to protect yourself from rip currents on the organization’s Web site.
- When you’re going to the beach, you need to bring sun block. The American Melanoma Foundation recommends sun block with a minimum SPF of 15, to be used even on cloudy days. For more facts about SPF and protecting your skin from the sun, visit the foundation’s Web site.
- Before you head out to the beach, find out what the UV rating is for that day. UV rays are calculated on a 1-15 scale. Higher numbers mean more intense rays and more rapid skin damage. Get the UV index for your city on the Weather Channel Web site.
Dulcinea's Picks
For official documents, exit and entry requirements, and safety …
The U.S. Department of State
“Travel” section is a must for any American venturing abroad. Check here for passport and visa requirements, safety warnings, and country-specific information (formerly known as Consular Information Sheets) on crime, exit and entry requirements, and embassy registration.
For beach safety and health …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
“Travelers’ Health” section provides essential health information on specific destinations, as well as general advice on preventing infection and disease abroad, plus tips for traveling with pets and kids.
The American Red Cross
comprehensively covers water safety, including issues relevant to swimming in oceans, rivers, and lakes, as well as a section on beach safety, such as dealing with heat stroke and protecting your eyes from harmful rays. Traveling families should consult the section on keeping children safe near the water.
For sunburns and sunblock …
eMedicineHealth
is the consumer version of a renowned physician-oriented Web site, emedicine.com. This section covers sunburn, including causes, treatment, and prevention. Learn what conditions indicate that you should call for professional medical attention.
The University of California, San Francisco
outlines the basics of sun block, including proper SPF, the best types of sun blocks to buy, active ingredients found in most sun blocks, and which types of UV radiation are blocked by each. The information was updated in May 2007.
For currency conversion …
OANDA
is a trusted source of currency conversion for travelers and businesses. Use the “Quick Converter” tool to convert any world currency into another.
When to go …
Away.com
, part of a travel network that includes Orbitz, GORP, and Outside Online, has a powerful search engine and a wide variety of content. Use the site’s “Beach Travel Guide” to learn which beaches to visit in each month of the year. In February, try out wind sports in Aruba, for example. Enter a beach destination from the monthly list into the search tool for a travel guide with hotels for each.
Getting to the Beach
All you want to do is lay in the sand, but first you’ve got to get there. Online search tools help you find and book flights whether you’re in a pinch, or have tons of time to spare.
Dulcinea's Insight
- If you plan to book a beach cruise, read “7 Tips for the best cruise deal” on MSNBC’s “Travel” site. The article offers quick tips that you might not necessarily think of, such as checking the Sunday papers for advertised deals.
- The findingDulcinea Travel Web Guide provides additional resources to help you reach your seaside destination, including flight and car rental search tools.
- If you find a flight through a search engine, check the airline site before you book; sometimes you’ll find a slightly better deal.
- For a little adventure (and perhaps a cheaper flight) fly into a city that’s a good distance from your beach destination. You can backpack and camp your way there, knowing that sun and sand await the end of your trek.
Dulcinea's Picks
For flight search tools …
Kayak
is a powerful flight search tool that finds fares from hundreds of airline and travel sites, such as Orbitz and Travelocity. Enter your dates of travel to get a list of flight options that are easy to sort in a variety of ways: by airline, departure time, and/or number of stops. Also view results in a chart depicting price changes over time, or compare your results with Expedia and Priceline. To learn exactly which airlines and agents this site covers, visit its "Providers" page.
SideStep's
prices show the importance of including low-cost airlines like Northwest and JetBlue in the search results. Although the layout isn't as clean and intuitive as Kayak’s, SideStep has great deals and should be one of your top airfare-finding resources.
Travelocity
has tools to help you find flights and all-inclusive travel packages. In addition to finding great prices, Travelocity has a compact design that’s simple to navigate, presents unbiased reviews of properties, and has a help line so you can speak to a representative over the phone for extra help or clarification.
For flight bargain hunting …
Farecast
takes the uncertainty out of booking a flight online. The site presents graphs of price trends over time, along with recommendations on whether to buy now or wait for a better deal.
Airfarewatchdog.com's
team scours the net to find "fluke" prices offered by airlines. These frequently mind-boggling fares are listed in the "Fare of the Day" and "Top 50 Fares" sections. There's no formula for knowing what tickets will be offered, so you'll have to be flexible to take advantage of them. You'll also have to act quickly, as the tickets don't last long.
For beach cruises …
Expedia
finds deals on cruises from numerous providers like Disney Cruise Line and Holland America. Don’t miss the “Last-minute cruise deals” listed in the upper right corner. Use the search tool to find cruises, browse the deals advertised on the cruise homepage, or call to speak to one of Expedia’s Cruise Specialists.
Cruise Compete
takes the hassle out of finding the best price on a cruise. Register with the site and input your cruise specifications, including dates of travel, location, and number of passengers, and more than 300 travel agencies will begin quoting prices, e-mailed to you from Cruise Compete. There is no obligation to purchase any cruise, and travel agencies will not be given your contact information. Respected travel guidebook publisher Frommer’s has called this system “revolutionary.”
CruiseMates
is an essential resource for vacationers considering a cruise package. Find unbiased reviews of numerous cruise ship lines offering background of each company and detailed accounts of what to expect on the boat. Also browse reader reviews of cruise lines (big name lines like Celebrity and Royal Caribbean have the most reviews). Cruise news, articles, message boards, and cruise guides for different categories, such as “First-time Cruisers” and “Family Cruising,” provide enjoyable reading.
Beach Hotels
After a long day of swimming, exploring ancient ruins, or sunbathing, you’ll want a place to come home to. Whether that place is a dorm-style hostel, a high-end hotel, or an eco-resort, you’ll find tools to find and book a room online.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Bigger search engines called “Meta Search Sites” are great for finding standard hotels, but for alternative accommodations like hostels, eco-lodges, and bed and breakfasts, you’ll probably have to shop around on niche sites. Try a search for your destination and type of lodging (for example, “St. Lucia + Bed and Breakfast”).
- If you’re interested in ecotourism, consider beaches in Central America. Much of the scenery is lush with rainforest, and many of the destinations are favorably priced. This article on SFGate.com, the San Francisco Chronicle Web site, spotlights a few promising Central American eco-friendly locales.
- There’s nothing quite like sleeping in sand. Camping on the beach adds a different perspective to your backpacking or road trip, and can help you save money.
- In the United States, some states allow camping on the beach (for example, Carpinteria State Beach in California has campsites feet from the water), while others do not. There are plenty of state campgrounds along the Oregon Coast but camping on the beach is illegal.
- If you’re thinking about camping on a particular beach, check online forums to see if anyone else has done so. For example, this Lonely Planet Thorn Tree thread discusses camping in Costa Alegre in Mexico.
- According to the travel forums we’ve found (for example, this Travellerspoint thread), it’s difficult to book the really cheap “beach huts,” found throughout Southeast Asia, online; instead, just ask around when you arrive at your destination.
Dulcinea's Picks
For traveler reviews of hotels …
TripAdvisor
gives you insight into what other travelers think, providing ratings of hotels based on user feedback. Choose a region on the map or enter a city in the search tool to access extensive resources, including reader reviews of local attractions, and deals from sites like Cheap Tickets and Orbitz.
For a hotel search …
Mobissimo
hunts for deals from numerous Web sites, including other search sites and individual hotel chains. User-friendly results include hotel name, rating, price, and provider. To book a room, you’ll be taken directly to provider Web sites.
Barefoot Luxury Travel
tailors personalized vacations to high-end beaches around the world. Read detailed accounts of each property and view interior and exterior photos, then get travel plans and payment information from a Barefoot Luxury Travel account manager within 30 minutes. Or follow links to hotel Web sites to plan and book on your own.
For hostels …
Hostelz.com
has a database of hostel listings with reviews and photos from around the world, including many beach locales. Get contact information for more than 25,000 properties in more than 7,000 cities.
For beach rentals …
Beachhouse.com
lists beach rental properties around the world. Complete a quick registration process to have access to listings and make reservation inquiries. Properties run the gamut and include spring break rentals in Mexico and family homes in Italy.
Travelfish
is focused on journeys to Asia, providing travel guides to several countries with excellent beach travel opportunities, including Cambodia and Thailand. Even find information on hut-style accommodations; for example, the Bang Bao Sea Hut built on stilts in Eastern Thailand.
For camping …
Beach Camping USA
provides reviews of campsites in Oregon, Washington, and California, as well as articles on various camping-related topics like water safety. The site focuses on campgrounds that are within a half-mile of the ocean, and also has a camping store selling gear especially for beach campers.
The U.S. National Parks
site has information about parks in every state. Learn whether your destination offers beach camping by clicking on the map, or perform a search for “beach camping” for results that include beach camping in North Carolina.
Eurocampings
has listings of campsites around Europe, as well as search tools to help you narrow down options by amenities like “situated on the coast” and “caravans allowed.” Some countries, like Greece have many beach campsites.
© 2009 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
